Sedentary Work Exerting up to 10 pounds (4.5 kg) of force occasionally and/or a negligible amount of force frequently or constantly to lift, carry, push, pull, or otherwise move objects, including the human body. Sedentary work involves sitting most of the time, but may involve walking or standing for brief periods of time. Jobs are sedentary if walking and standing are required only occasionally and other sedentary criteria are met.

Light Work Exerting up to 20 pounds (9.1 kg) of force occasionally and/or up to 10 pounds (4.5 kg) of force frequently, and/or negligible amount of force constantly to move objects. Physical demand requirements are in excess of those for Sedentary Work. Light Work usually requires walking or standing to a significant degree. However, if the use of the arm and/or leg controls requires exertion of forces greater than that for Sedentary Work and the worker sits most the time, the job is rated Light Work.

Medium Work Exerting up to 50 (22.7 kg) pounds of force occasionally, and/or up to 25 pounds (11.3 kg) of force frequently, and/or up to 10 pounds (4.5 kg) of forces constantly to move objects.

Heavy Work Exerting up to 100 pounds (45.4 kg) of force occasionally, and/or up to 50 pounds (22.7 kg) of force frequently, and/or in excess of 20 pounds (9.1 kg) of force constantly to move objects.

Very Heavy Work Exerting in excess of 100 pounds (45.4 kg) of force occasionally, and/or in excess of 50 pounds (22.7 kg) of force frequently, and/or in excess of 20 pounds (9.1 kg) of force constantly to move objects.

Job Classification

In most duration tables, five job classifications are displayed. These job classifications are based on the amount of physical effort required to perform the work. The classifications correspond to the Strength Factor classifications described in the United States Department of Labor's Dictionary of Occupational Titles. The following definitions are quoted directly from that publication.

Sedentary Work Exerting up to 10 pounds (4.5 kg) of force occasionally and/or a negligible amount of force frequently or constantly to lift, carry, push, pull, or otherwise move objects, including the human body. Sedentary work involves sitting most of the time, but may involve walking or standing for brief periods of time. Jobs are sedentary if walking and standing are required only occasionally and other sedentary criteria are met.

Light Work Exerting up to 20 pounds (9.1 kg) of force occasionally and/or up to 10 pounds (4.5 kg) of force frequently, and/or negligible amount of force constantly to move objects. Physical demand requirements are in excess of those for Sedentary Work. Light Work usually requires walking or standing to a significant degree. However, if the use of the arm and/or leg controls requires exertion of forces greater than that for Sedentary Work and the worker sits most the time, the job is rated Light Work.

Medium Work Exerting up to 50 (22.7 kg) pounds of force occasionally, and/or up to 25 pounds (11.3 kg) of force frequently, and/or up to 10 pounds (4.5 kg) of forces constantly to move objects.

Heavy Work Exerting up to 100 pounds (45.4 kg) of force occasionally, and/or up to 50 pounds (22.7 kg) of force frequently, and/or in excess of 20 pounds (9.1 kg) of force constantly to move objects.

Very Heavy Work Exerting in excess of 100 pounds (45.4 kg) of force occasionally, and/or in excess of 50 pounds (22.7 kg) of force frequently, and/or in excess of 20 pounds (9.1 kg) of force constantly to move objects.

Neoplasm of Uncertain Behavior of Other and Unspecified Sites and Tissues; Other specified sites; Eye; Heart

238.9 -

Neoplasm of Uncertain Behavior of Other and Unspecified Sites and Tissues; Site unspecified

239.1 -

Neoplasm of Unspecified Nature of Respiratory System

239.2 -

Neoplasms of Unspecified Nature of Bone, Soft Tissue, and Skin

239.3 -

Neoplasm of Unspecified Nature; Breast

239.7 -

Neoplasm of Unspecified Nature, Endocrine Glands and Other Parts of Nervous System

Overview

Cancer is a general term used to identify tissue that grows abnormally fast and that loses any specialized characteristics of the tissue from which it has arisen. Cancer tumors (malignant neoplasms) tend to grow in an unrestricted fashion and expand into surrounding tissues and organs. Cells from a malignant neoplasm can separate from the initial tumor, travel to a different site (usually via the bloodstream or lymphatic system), and then start dividing and replicating themselves to form a new, secondary tumor (metastasis).

Cancer usually develops in major organs such as the lungs, breasts, intestines, pancreas, lymphatic system (Hodgkin's and non-Hodgkin's lymphomas), the prostate gland in men, and the ovaries in women. Other sites of cancer formation include the urinary bladder, skin, mouth, lips, throat, kidney, thyroid, esophagus, brain, adrenal gland, stomach, and in women, the uterus. Malignant neoplasms can also develop in the blood cell-forming tissues located in the bone marrow (leukemias).

It is not completely clear what causes cells to become cancerous and begin growing in an uncontrolled fashion. One possible mechanism is that cancer-causing agents (carcinogens) may act on certain genes (oncogenes) within cells to trigger gene mutations. The change in oncogenes is then passed on to all offspring cells, which divide more rapidly than the normal surrounding cells. Usually, the offspring cells show abnormal physical characteristics, including lack of differentiation, so they no longer perform the specialized task that they were meant to do. Because cancer cells escape the controls that keep healthy cells from growing abnormally, a malignant tumor can form. It may take years before the tumor becomes large enough to cause symptoms, so by the time of discovery, the cancer may have spread (metastasized) to other vital organs such as the liver, lungs, bones, or brain.

Incidence and Prevalence: Cancer incidence is estimated to be 468.1 new cancers diagnosed per 100,000 Americans annually, including prostate cancer 155.4 per 100,000; breast cancer 125.5 per 100,000; colon cancer 47.4 per 100,000; and lung cancer 62.9 per 100,000 (SEER). Types of cancer with rising incidence include female lung cancer, non-Hodgkin lymphoma, and skin cancer (melanoma) (“Cancer Trends Report”). Cancer is second only to heart disease as the leading cause of death in the US.

Causation and Known Risk Factors

Risk factors for cancer include, among others, cigarette smoking or the use of smokeless tobacco; a diet that is high in fat or calories, or low in fiber or calcium; high alcohol consumption; low physical activity; obesity; infection with certain viruses (e.g., hepatitis B and C, Epstein-Barr virus, human immunodeficiency virus [HIV]) or other biological agents (e.g., Schistosoma, Helicobacter pylori); radiation exposure (either environmental or high-dose therapeutic); anti-cancer (cytotoxic) drugs treatment; occupational or environmental carcinogen exposure, such as to asbestos, heavy metals, pesticides, hair dressing compounds, soot, tar, formaldehyde, vinyl chloride, and wood dusts; and advanced age. In women, risk factors include certain reproductive and sexual factors such as early age at first menstruation (menarche), late age at menopause, never having been pregnant (nulliparity), not carrying a pregnancy beyond 6 months, late first pregnancy (35 years or older), and having multiple sexual partners, as well as infection with certain viruses (e.g., human papillomavirus), hormone therapy (e.g., estrogen, androgenic steroids), and low socioeconomic status. Gender may predispose some individuals to certain types of cancer. A genetic predisposition for certain cancers may occur within family groups. Blacks are at highest risk for new cancers; cancer risk is low in Native Americans and Alaska Natives (“Cancer Trends Report”).

General

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